Conveyer switching system



Oct.V 11,-1932. ys. oLsoN GONVEYER SWITCHINGKSYSTEM Fiied iApril 17. v1929 2 sheets-snapt 1 ou. 11, 1932. l s, OLSON 1,881,895

CONVEYER SWI TCHING SYSTEM Filedpril '17. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I` Inyefzoz.

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Patented Oct. 1l, 19324 N UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE SAMUEL OLSON, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL OLSON & COMPANY INC.,

v OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS coNvEYER swrronme SYSTEM v Application me@ April 17,

This invention relates to a conveyer system, and more particularly to a systemwhere-l 1n loads are discharged onto or 0E 4.from a .main horizontally travelling conveyei` at one or more points along its path of travel. The obj ect of the invention is to provide improved means for automatically controlling the discharge of the loads. It -consists in certain features and elements of construction, in combination as herein shown and described. and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings: v

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a conveyer system provided with the automatic controlling means for discharging loads embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially as indicated at line 3-3 on Figure 2.

Figures 44 and 5 are enlarged detail plan views of two limitswitches used in connection with this invention.

Figure 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic pla'n view of a modied conveyer system equipped with the present invention.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic plan of a further modiflcation.

The present invention as illustrated inthe drawings is shown in connection with a horizontally extending main conveyer, 10, carrying a load indicated at 11.v This conveyer may be of any type and as shown is preferably an endless belt conveyer. It is to be `understood that wherever the term load is used throughout the specification and claims, it has reference to either the so-called load carrier or an actual load in the nature of a box, carton, etc. Disposed along the path of travel of the main conveyer are one or more discharge stations, which may be mere receiving platforms, but will, in some cases, comprise branch conveyers as herein shown at 12. For convenience this branch conveyer may be of the gravity roll type having a series of main rolls, 13 and a few obliquely'disposed rolls, 14, whlch assist to direct the loads onto the' rolls 13, as they are discharged from the main conveyer.

Power driven load e]ec ting mechamsm 1s 1929. Serial No. 355,709.

'provided adjacent the main conveyer directly opposlte each discharge station or branch conveyer. Each of said mechanisms includes v a horizontally extending, rotary load ejecting arm, 15, rigidly mounted on a vertical shaft, 16, journaled in bearings 17. A worm gear, 18, is secured to said shaft, and operatively meshed with a worm, 19, on the horizontal drive shaft, 20, of an electric motor, 21. Connected in the motor circuit are two normally open limit switches, 22 and 23, for controlling the operation of the load ejecting arm and for arresting the same after completion of each revolution.

lThe electrical circuit includes a pair of line and connected to the switch, 22, and motor, 21, respectively, with a conductor, 26, connecting the other terminals of said switch and motor. The switch 23 is connected in parallel with switch 22 .by a conductor 27 connected to the conductor 26 and a second conductor 28 connected to the conductor 24, as indicated in Figure l. Switch 22 is provided with a horizontally movable operating arm,`29, pivoted at 30, and positioned to eX- tend over the main conveyer for encounter by a pin, 31,.on the load carrier, 11, or by a V conductors, 24 and 25, constituting the power load proper, and the -switch 23 is provided with a vertically movable operating arm, 32, pivoted at 33, and positioned to be encountered by the rotary load ejecting arm, 15. As indicated by Figures 4 and 5,'the construction of switches, 22 and 23, is such that switch 22 assumes a normally open position while switch 23 assumes a normally closed position respectively. Thus when a load, 11, engages the arm, 29, swinging it about its pivot, it closes switch 22, completing the motor circuit, causing the ejecting arm 15 to rotate and encounter the load for shiftin it transversely o' the main conveyer onto t e branch conveyer 12.

But in this movement, the load releases the operating arm, 29, which would ordinarily open the motor circuit, if it were not for the ejecting arm sliding over and vreleasing the operating arm, 32, permitting it to close the switch 23, thus maintaining the electrical circuit so that the ej ecting arm may switch yand thus causing the ejecting arm to come a plurality of continue to rotate and complete the discharge of the load. ISince switch 22 has been released and permitted to open, it will be seen that as the ejecting arm, 15, is completing a single revolution, it again encounters the arm, 32, of switch 23, forcing it downwardly (as may be seen in Figure 3) opening said 23, completely breaking the circuit to rest in position for repeating the cycle.

It will be understood that where there are discharge stations .along the main conveyer, the switches of the respective stations are located at different heights, as indicated in dotted lines at A in Figure 2,

so as to cooperate each with a certain height ready described, that is, the loads are discharged from a branch or feeding line onto the main conveyer.

veyer, 40, having a curved portion continuing into a terminal 41, extending for a short distance parallel to the-main conveyer, 42. It is to be understood, however, that an inclined chute might sufce. A stop, 43, is provided at the terminal for arresting the loads, 44, adjacent the main conveyer. The load ej ecting means is located adjacent the terminal and is substantially the same as above described, with exception of the switch, 22, which is provided with a relatively short arm, 29, positioned for encounter by the end of the load just prior to its abutment against stop, 43. The arm, 29a, is short to afford freedom of movement of the load, 44, as it is being shifted onto the main conveyer, for it y is apparent that the load will be caused to move in -an oblique path due to the direction of travel of the main conveyer together with the direction of force as applied by the arm, 15.

To avoid collision during transfer of the loads, 44, onto the main conveyer, a normalclosed safety switch, 46, is connected in the motor circuit and is located adjacent the main conveyer forwardly of the transfer station, and is provided with an operating arm, 47, extending over the main conveyerint-o the path of travel of loads, as indicated at 48, on the main conveyer.

ejecting. mechanism, switches, 22 and 23, are

connected n parallel and switch -46, in series.

In this circuit there are the two power lines,

In this arrangement the j feed line is indicated as a gravity roll con- In the electrical cir-v cuit for controlling the operation of the load the motor 21, while line 51 connects to two branch conductors, 52 and 53, leading to the switches, 23 and 46, respectively. ductor, 54, connects the other terminal of switch 46 with switch 22, and the conductor 55 connects the other terminals of switches 22 and 23 with a branchconductor,56,1eading from the conductor 55 to the motorto complete the circuit. The ejecting operationtakes place as soon as the load, 44, encounters `switch arm 29a, and functions in the same manner as that abovedescribed, except that if .switch 46 is opened by va passing load, 48, the motor circuit is held open andthe mechanism is temporarily rendered ingiperative until said switch, 46, is permittedlto close by'the release of its arm, 47 as the vload passes on. Thus any loads on the main conveyer moving toward the transfer station are accorded the right of way.

The invention is shown in connection with a further modiiied conveying system as illustrated in Figure 7. In this arrangement a plurality ofloading or feeding stations are located along the path of travel of a main conveyer, 60; at each station a feed line is indicated diagrammatically at, 61, which may be understood to represent any convenient feeding system such as a gravity roll conveyer, inclined chute, or `even a power driven belt, and each is formed with a terminal portion, 62, and a stop, 63, for arresting loads, 64, at said terminal'portions. Load ejecting mechanism is provided adjacent each station and is similar to that already described and shown in Figure 6, exce t that `switch 22 is omitted from the ,electr1cal controlling circuit, and the operation4 of the ejectin anism is remotely controlled by push uttons, 65, at the control platform, 66, which is preferably arranged to overlook the operation of the entire system. All -of the electrical cir A conmechj cuits for the respective feeding stations are ly with the motor to complete the circuit.

Thus an operator at the control platform may selectively operate the ejecting mechanism at any feeding station merely by pushing the corresponding button, 65,' to close the circuit.

The switches 46, which are 'located forwardly of each feeding station, act to insure rendering the ejecting mechanism at the adjacent stations temporarily inoperative whenever loads, 75, on the mainconveyor (which were discharged from feeding stations down loading stations may be used as storage for a jsilurality of load units of a particular class. ince the ejecting mechanism is arrangedto discharge a single load each time it is actuated, it will be evident that the operator on platform 66 may cause a group of any class of load units to be delivered to the mam conveyer, 60, by repeatedly operating the control button, 65, corresponding to any particular feeding conveyer. And when a given order or shipment of goods is to consist of articles of different classes, he can deliver them in such groups to the main conveyer, 60, by which they will be carried to the shipping platform just outside the wall of 'the .building indicated at 76, or even into a railroad car at 77. This method of making up shipments composed of articles from several different compartments will save much of the confusion and running about which is incident to the use of ordinary hand trucks for the purpose, and will also considerably reducethe number of employees required for this work.

` engaged by a load thereon to break the elec- The feeding conveyers, 61, may come from widely separated departments of a plant, or may extend only short distances from storage spaces for thedifferent classes of merchandise in a warehouse building.

I claim:

1. In a conveyer system, a main conveyer,

a feeding conveyer having a transfer terminal adjacent the main conveyer, loads on said conveyers, load ej ecting means adjacent the transfer terminal, means adapted to be operatedby a load on the feeding conve er for actuating said ejecting means for orcibly moving said load onto the main conveyer, and means extending into the path of travel of loads on the ma1n conveyer forwardly of the terminal, adapted when engaged by a load lthereon for rendering said ejecting means temporarily inoperative.

2. In a conveyer s stem, a main-conve er, a transversely extendying gravity roll fee ing conveyer having a terminal portion extending parallel to the main conveyer, stop means at said terminal portion for arresting the movement of a load thereon, normally inoperative load ejecting means adjacent the terminal, and means engageable by the load as it approaches said stop means for actuating sai ejecting means to discharge the load onto the main conveyer.

3. -In a conveyer system, a main conveyer',

a transversely extending gravity conveyer having a transfer termin-al extending parallel to the main conveyer, loads on said conveyers, stop means for arresting the loads of said,

gravity conveyer at said terminal, electrical- 1y controlled load ejecting means adjacent t e terminal, normally ogfn switch means operated by the loads'on t e gravity conveyer vas they approach the stop at the terminal for closing the electrical circuit and'actu-ating said ejecting means and normally closed switch means connected in the circuit and disposed in the path of travel of loads on the main conve er forwardly of the terminal and adapted wlden engaged by a load thereon to Vbreak the circuit to insure rendering the loa/d ej ecting means inoperative.

4. In a conveyer system, a main conveyer,

a feeding conveyer extending transversely thereto, said conveyers having a junction at which loads are transferred from'one onto v the other, fixed stop means for arresting the loads on thel feeding conveyer adjacent the junction, electrically controlled load ejecting means adjacent the junction, normally open switch means operated by the loads on thel feeding conveyer as they approach'the stop for closing the electrical circuit and actuating said ejecting means for forcibly discharging the load onto the'main conveyer j and normally closed switch means connected in the circuit anddisposed in the path of travel of loads on the main conveyer forwardly of the junction, and adapted when trical circuit `to insure render' g theiload ejecting means inoperative. "i

5. In a conveyer system, a main conveyer, a feeding conveyer extending transversely thereto, said conveyers having a junction at which loads are transferred from'one to the other, stop means adjacent the junction and.v arranged for arresting the movement of a load on the feeding conveyer, and load-eject' ing means adjacent the junction, including an electric driving motor, and -a normally open switch connected in the motor circuit and arranged for engagement by the load as it approaches the stop means for, completing the motor circuit vand actuating said ejecting means for forcibly discharging said load onto the main conveyer.

6. In combination with a'conveyer and I load carried thereon; 'electrically controlledy load-ejecting means arranged adjacent a transfer point along said conveyer, saidl means comprising an electric motor, a nor-l mally open switch connected in the motor circuit and arranged to be engaged 'by the load on thefconveyer for completing the electric circuit, and a rotary arm driven by the motor and arrangedv forl forcibly pushing the load 'oil' the conveyer.

7; In the combination vdefined in claim 6, means for automatically breaking the motor .circuit and arresting said arm, Vafter every single revolution thereof.

8. In combination with a conveyerand a Y load carried thereon, electrically controlled load-ejectmg means arranged adjacent. a

iaoV

transfer point along said conveyer, said means comprising an' electric motor, a normally open switch connected inrthe motor circuit and arranged to be engaged by the load on the conveyer for temporarily com-- pleting the electric circuit, a rotary arm driv' en by the motor and arranged for forcibly f ejecting the load off the conveyer, and means for automatically breaking the motor circuit and arresting said rotary arm after every single revolution thereof, said' means includin asecond switch connected in parallel With said first mentioned switch in the motor circuit and normally held in open position when 5 said rotary arm is in inoperative position, and adapted When released by said rotary arm almost instantaneously upon its being set in motion for movement to circuit-closing position and thus insuring maintenance ofy 20. a closed motor circuit after said arm has been set in operation for ejecting said load and thereby releasing said first mentioned switch. 9. In a conveyer system, a'main conveyer, a vfeeding conveyer having a transfer termi v nal adjacent themain conveyer,4 loads o'n said conveyers, load-ejecting means adjacent the transfer terminal, means adapted to be operated by a load on the feeding conveyer for actuating said ejecting means for forcibly 3i, moving said load onto the main conveyer, and safety means associated with the main conveyer adapted for rendering said ejecting means inoperative When a load on the main conveyer comes 1n registration with said'` safety means.

f SAMUEL OLSON. 

